WSBT-TV

WSBT-TV is a television station serving South Bend, Indiana, and the wider Michiana region of northern Indiana and southwestern Michigan. The station broadcasts CBS programming on its primary channel 22 service and Fox programming through its second digital subchannel, branded Fox Michiana. It is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group and operates alongside WSJV, another Sinclair station serving the market. WSBT-TV and WSJV share studio facilities on East Douglas Avenue in Mishawaka, while the station's transmission facilities are located on Ironwood Road in South Bend. The station began broadcasting on December 21, 1952, under the ownership of the South Bend Tribune. Its early facilities occupied a converted radio studio on the third floor of the newspaper's downtown South Bend building. WSBT-TV initially carried programming from all four major U.S. television networks of the period, with CBS as its principal affiliation. The arrival of WSJV in 1954 allowed WSBT-TV to concentrate more fully on CBS programming. The station has retained its CBS affiliation for decades and is recognized as Indiana's longest-serving CBS affiliate. WSBT-TV has a notable history of technical and programming innovation. It was the first UHF station in the United States to produce a live telecast, a short local news bulletin, and became an early broadcaster of high-school basketball. In 1953, it transmitted a closed-circuit broadcast of a Notre Dame football practice so that hospitalized coach Frank Leahy could direct the session. The station began color broadcasting in 1954, making it the first Indiana station to do so. Originally assigned to UHF channel 34, it moved to channel 22 in 1958. The station expanded its local news operation as television technology changed. It launched a digital subchannel in 2003, initially carrying UPN programming under the UPN Michiana identity. After UPN ceased operations in 2006, the service became the independent SBT2. WSBT-TV introduced a high-definition local-news operation from a new Mishawaka facility in 2008, and subsequently added afternoon, weekend-morning, and expanded evening newscasts. The second digital channel became Fox Michiana in 2016 after Fox programming moved from WSJV. Ownership changed substantially in the 2010s. Schurz Communications announced in 2015 that it would leave broadcasting and sell its stations to Gray Television. Gray retained WNDU-TV in South Bend and arranged to exchange WSBT-TV with Sinclair for WLUC-TV in Michigan. The transaction was approved by the Federal Communications Commission in February 2016 and completed that month, separating WSBT-TV from the South Bend Tribune and the former WSBT radio group. Sinclair has continued operating the station as a CBS/Fox combination with a substantial local-news presence. WSBT-TV also supplies or has supplied centralized newscast production for selected Sinclair sister stations outside the South Bend market.

WSBT-TV signed on December 21, 1952, as a South Bend Tribune-owned station. Its first studios were installed in a converted radio facility in the Tribune's downtown building. The station initially carried all four major networks then operating in the United States, although CBS was its primary affiliation. When WSJV began broadcasting in 1954, WSBT-TV dropped its secondary relationships with NBC, ABC, and DuMont and continued primarily as a CBS station. Its early technical history was unusually distinguished for a UHF outlet. WSBT-TV produced what is described as the first live telecast by a UHF station in the United States, a brief local news bulletin. It also became an early broadcaster of high-school basketball and transmitted a closed-circuit Notre Dame football practice in 1953 so that hospitalized coach Frank Leahy could direct the session. The station began color broadcasts in 1954, the first Indiana station reported to do so. It originally transmitted on channel 34 before moving to channel 22 in 1958. The station and the South Bend Tribune benefited from a federal cross-ownership grandfather provision when the Federal Communications Commission later restricted newspaper and television ownership in the same market. This relationship continued for many years, making WSBT-TV part of a broader local media operation that also included WSBT radio properties. The station remained a long-tenured CBS affiliate and developed a substantial local-news operation. WSBT-TV entered digital broadcasting in 2001 and launched a UPN service on its second digital channel in 2003. When UPN ended in 2006, the subchannel became the independent SBT2. A new all-digital Mishawaka facility opened in 2008, enabling high-definition local newscasts and consolidating operations away from the former downtown studio building. The station expanded its schedule with a 4 p.m. newscast in 2014 and a Sunday morning newscast in 2015. In 2016, the second digital channel became Fox Michiana after Fox programming moved from WSJV. The transition included a temporary simulcast on WSJV and an expansion of news programming on the Fox service. In 2015, Schurz Communications announced plans to sell its broadcast properties to Gray Television. Because Gray already owned WNDU-TV in the same market, WSBT-TV was exchanged to Sinclair Broadcast Group for WLUC-TV. The FCC approved the transaction on February 12, 2016, and the sale closed on February 16. This separated WSBT-TV from the South Bend Tribune and from the radio group bearing the WSBT name. Under Sinclair, the station continued its CBS/Fox structure and entered into broader content and centralized-production relationships. From 2017 through 2023, it produced newscasts for Sinclair's WNWO-TV in Toledo, Ohio, and it continues to provide production services for WOLF-TV in Pennsylvania.

1. 2016Sinclair ownership and Fox affiliation

   Sinclair acquires the station, and WSBT-DT2 becomes Fox Michiana on August 1.

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2. 2014First 4 p.m. newscast launches

   WSBT-TV adds a weekday afternoon local-news broadcast.

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3. 2008Digital Mishawaka facility opens

   The station begins broadcasting local news in high definition from its new facility.

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4. 2003UPN Michiana launches

   The second digital channel begins carrying UPN programming.

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5. 2001Digital signal launches

   WSBT-TV begins digital broadcasting.

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6. 1958Channel assignment changes to 22

   The station moves from analog UHF channel 34 to channel 22.

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7. 1954Color broadcasting begins

   WSBT-TV becomes the first Indiana station identified in the source material as broadcasting in color.

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8. 1953Early UHF sports and remote-broadcast innovations

   The station broadcasts high-school basketball and a closed-circuit Notre Dame football practice.

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9. 1952Station signs on

   WSBT-TV begins broadcasting in South Bend on December 21 as a South Bend Tribune property.

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A locally focused broadcast television station combining a long-standing CBS affiliation, a Fox digital subchannel, regional news and weather coverage, and Sinclair-owned shared production capabilities.

• WSBT 22 NewsLocal television news

  The station's principal local-news service, covering South Bend and the surrounding Michiana region. The schedule includes weekday morning, afternoon, evening, and late-night programming, together with weekend broadcasts. WSBT-TV also distributes related weather, traffic, and regional reporting through digital channels and media partnerships.

• Fox MichianaDigital television subchannel2016

  WSBT-DT2's Fox-affiliated service. It replaced the earlier SBT2 independent service in 2016 after Fox programming moved from WSJV. The subchannel also carries locally produced news, including expanded morning and late-evening programming.

• CBS channel 22 serviceNetwork television affiliate1952

  WSBT-TV's primary broadcast service, combining CBS network programming with the station's main local-news, weather, public-affairs, and sports output. The station has maintained a CBS affiliation since its early operating years.

• 2016Transfer from Gray Television to Sinclair Broadcast GroupM&A

  Schurz Communications was leaving broadcasting, while Gray already owned another South Bend television station.

  What changed. Gray exchanged WSBT-TV to Sinclair for WLUC-TV in Marquette, Michigan. The FCC approved the transaction on February 12, and the deal closed on February 16.

  Aftermath. WSBT-TV became separated from the South Bend Tribune and the former WSBT radio group and joined Sinclair's station portfolio.

  Announced value of Schurz's broader sale to Gray Television. $442.5 million (2015 announcement)

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• 2016Fox affiliation moves to WSBT-DT2Strategy

  A network-affiliation arrangement transferred Fox programming from WSJV to WSBT's second digital channel.

  What changed. WSBT-DT2 became Fox Michiana on August 1, with a temporary WSJV simulcast supporting the audience transition.

  Aftermath. The subchannel added expanded local-news hours and became the station's Fox outlet.

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• 2008Conversion to high-definition local newsOther

  Digital television required upgraded production infrastructure and a purpose-built facility.

  What changed. WSBT-TV opened an all-digital Mishawaka facility and began airing local newscasts in high definition.

  Aftermath. The station became the first South Bend-market outlet to broadcast local news in high definition.

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• 2003Launch of the UPN digital subchannelProduct launch

  WSBT-TV was expanding its digital service and created a second channel for additional network programming.

  What changed. The station launched UPN Michiana on WSBT-DT2.

  Aftermath. After UPN shut down in 2006, the channel was renamed SBT2 and operated as an independent service until its later Fox affiliation.

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• 2016Sinclair acquires WSBT-TV through a station exchange

  Gray arranged to transfer WSBT-TV to Sinclair in exchange for WLUC-TV; regulatory approval came in February and the transaction closed shortly afterward.

  M&A
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• 2016Fox programming moves to WSBT's second digital channel

  Fox Michiana launched on WSBT-DT2 on August 1 after the Fox affiliation moved from WSJV, with a temporary simulcast helping viewers transition.

  Product launch
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• 2015Schurz Communications announces broadcast-station sale

  Schurz announced plans to exit broadcasting through a proposed sale of its television and radio holdings to Gray Television.

  M&A
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• 2008WSBT-TV launches a high-definition news facility

  A purpose-built digital facility in Mishawaka began operations, and the station became the first in the South Bend market to air local newscasts in high definition.

  Product launchProduct generation
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• 1958WSBT-TV moves from channel 34 to channel 22

  The station changed its analog UHF assignment to channel 22, the channel associated with its current identity.

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• 1952WSBT-TV begins broadcasting

  The station signed on December 21 as a South Bend Tribune-owned television outlet.

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1. WSBT-TV
2. WSBT-TV official website